Then you should read this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=50058&hilit=MIJ+strat+with+Kahler+tremolo
It contains 5 or 6 cases of these Kahler Spyder equipped Strats with no country of origin decal. Many of these were bought new from Fender dealers, including my own.
They are a mystery, but they do exist.



........Mark.

As I said there were oddities, you have to remember these guitars were not made by Fender just Fender labeled. Fujigen and Atlansia made them. Also at the time Tokai were making some of the best Strats of the time as there own. Springy Sounds and such.

Myself I have never seen one not marked with no origin. Bought new you should no yours true but 5 of 6 I would have to take apart and see the stampings myself on the others and even then there is no proof of a Fender. What counts is that it plays good but the resale value is effected because of questionability.
You are talking about one of the most faked guitars their is and it's not hard to fake.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Fender did manufacturer Stratocasters with a stock Kahler Spyder and later the Steeler, right before they began using Original Floyd Rose trems. I've seen several like this guitar on Eb@y over the years.

I can also tell you the Spyders are known as some of the worst double locking trems ever.

Yeah, you either like 'em or you don't. After 23 years of playing it, it's too late for regrets.

To the OP,
I have carefully looked at your pictures. Having bought the exact model brand new ,with tags, from a licensed dealer, I believed that your friend's guitar is 100% legit.

I cannot explain the lack of an origin decal, only to say that this is common on this model. I think the omission was deliberate, for whatever reason.
Whether they were made/assembled in Japan/USA, I don't know for sure.

Please contribute a description and pictures to my original thread, as this can only help us owners in the long run.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=50058&hilit=MIJ+strat+with+Kahler+tremolo

I'll leave the last word to the experts.

..........Mark.

No, MIJ Fenders did not follow the Letter + 1st Digit system that the USA guitars used. According to the Fender MIJ dating site the MIJ "E" series guitars were made in 1984-1987 regardless of the first number after the "E"; on the MIJs only the letter means anything since these were the ones made by Fuji Gen Gakki. I have mostly seen MIJ "E" serial numbers on those first generation Contemporary guitars - and they are exactly as you describe with humbuckers, TBXs, side jacks, etc. However, they were gone by 1987. Here is the link to the MIJ dating page on Fender's site:

http://www.fender.com/support/articles/japanese-instruments-product-dating

I've heard two stories about these odd ones - one story is that they weren't intended to be imported to the USA and when they were brought over here the "Made in Japan" was added with a sticker. I've also heard that the might have been assembled here in the USA from FujiGen parts. However, the Kahler Spyders were used on MIJ HM Strats (another gray area guitar - some where fully MIJ, some were assembled in the USA from MIJ parts).

I played this type of Standard with Contemporary features (with 3 single coils, 22 frets and either type of Kahler bridge) brand new in 1987 and 1988 - mostly at Carl's Music Center in Lexington, KY and at Music Warehouse in Louisville, KY - both were authorized dealers at that time. Music Warehouse bit the dust in the early 2000s when the owner's kids didn't want to take over the business; not sure if Carl's is still in business; they lost all their main brands (Fender, PRS, Ibanez) to Willcutts so I haven't been by Carl's since about 2004.

Would any of you have an idea on what a private party might pay for this guitar? We were just curious as to the actual value of it. Basically what do you think it might "sell" for on eBay?

Well this one has a buy it now price of $749 US. Yours is much nicer and original.
Watch it and see if it sells.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/180710250477 ... 1438.l2649

My guess is the guitar in question is worth $300 dollars.

_________________
FIGHT!

Check the "completed listings" on eBay under the advanced search options, to see what they have sold for. Forget about what someone is asking, check to see what has actually happened.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

I paid $625 for mine plus shipping, but mine's not really a typical one- has abalone fret markers, which were potentially aftermarket. Also came with Custom Shop Texas Special singlecoils, DiMarzio humbucker at the bridge, brand new Chandler pickguard & tremolo cover, Callahan hardware...

It's worth whatever you want to pay for it. With the hindsight of playing it, I would gladly have handed over far more than I did, simply because it's so damn good.

_________________
'01 American Deluxe HSS Strat.
'87 Japan HSS Strat.
'11 Custom Shop FMT HSS Strat.

"Without music, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines and dates by which bills must be paid."

Don't sell it for $300. It's a rare vintage Japanese Strat. If anyone doubts it's authenticity, hang on to it.



I have made an observation which I believe helps to establish these Strats as a specific batch.

These Strats have various type of locking nuts. The examples below have the MIJ decal.





In every case, the ones with no country of manufacture decal, have the specific type of nut pictured below.



They all have these chrome ones with "Kahler, made in USA,Patent pend- with satin black blocks and domed allen key screws.



These nuts do not appear on the qnes with a MIJ decal.

What does this prove? Only that they are not Partsocasters or random fakes.

Who would fake a guitar and not put on the MIJ decal anyway?

I admit that it would be hard to convince a buyer though. Doesn't matter, I'm keeping mine. I will continue to research tirelessly.

...........Mark.